Inspection Detail

Inspection: 316672708 - Mark Trabucco

Inspection Information - Office: Van Nuys District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 4:18 p.m. on January 24, 2014, Employee #1, a self-employed construction contractor who operated an unlicensed grading company from his home, was clearing brush on one acre of a 10-acre parcel. He had been hired by the landowner, a construction general contractor who was paying him $40.00 per hour and providing the equipment, a John Deere 450G Crawler Dozer, for clearing the brush. The job was estimated to take 4 hours. The employer delivered the bulldozer to the worksite at 10:30 a.m. on January 24, 2014. At approximately 2:00 p.m., the employer returned to the site to check on the status of the work. Employee #1 asked for goggles, which the employer provided. Employee #1 told the employer he was almost finished the work. The employer left the site and returned at 4:00 p.m. The employer, after noticing that Employee #1's truck was still on site, walked down the slope on the property and found the bulldozer overturned on its side. Employee #1 was pinned underneath the bulldozer. The employer called for emergency services. The emergency responders arrived and pronounced Employee #1 dead at 4:31 p.m. on January 24, 2015. Cal/OSHA received a report of this event from the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Coroner Unit. Cal/OSHA initiated its investigation at 7:45 a.m. on January 25, 2015. The investigation determined that the seatbelt on the bulldozer was in working condition but was not being worn by Employee #1. Employee #1's brother, when interviewed, stated that his brother never wore a seatbelt when he drove large equipment. The employer who hired Employee #1 had not done any work since 2012 under the company name. The employer filed a Workers' Compensation claim based on this event. Cal/OSHA determined that the fatality was due to Employee #1 not wearing the seatbelt while operating the bulldozer. Because of lack of employer knowledge, no Serious Accident Related citation was issued to the employer.

Keywords: HEAD, PPE, EQUIPMENT OPERATOR, CONSTRUCTION, CRUSHED, INDUSTRIAL TRUCK, SEAT BELT, STRUCK BY, BULLDOZER, OVERTURN